Mortal Kombat Series General

Garish colourful costumes, trademark fighting manoeuvres, good versus evil, and a World Championship hanging in the balance. It's difficult to know if we're describing Mortal Kombat, or the wild world of professional wrestling!

In an interview with Wrestle Talk TV; recently returned WWE superstar Rob Van Dam revealed his close calls with a Mortal Kombat inspired wrestling gimmick in the mid-nineties. Fans of the now defunct World Championship Wrestling (WCW) may remember the resulting Glacier character [pictured top].

"I've had some offers that didn't sound too appealing. When I was in ECW defending the television title, I had an offer from WCW, but they wanted to turn me into a Mortal Kombat character. [...] Even after they made Glacier, they said 'it's okay. We're gonna make a whole bunch of them. We're gonna make a big group of Mortal Kombat guys, and you'll have mask.'"

Better recognized as a piece of cultural trivia than wrestling accomplishment; the character was the burden of Raymond Lloyd -- a martial artist versed in Hung Gar, Judo and Kempo. It's said Lloyd's role was appealing to on-screen WCW President and martial arts practitioner, Eric Bischoff.

Arguments can be made about whether or not characters like this were out of place in mid-nineties pro wrestling. What's undeniable is the reach of Mortal Kombat by this time. The games were already a global phenomenon: Mortal Kombat II reportedly the first game to surpass Hollywood box office [via @noobde]. One year before the debut of Glacier, Mortal Kombat was setting its own box office benchmark with a film that took the fighter to mass audiences. It remains one of the most successful video game movie adaptations and a favourite among audiences [read more].

Mortal Kombat and WCW would collide again during the 1998-1999 run of Mortal Kombat: Conquest on TNT. The live-action MK series followed WCW Monday Nitro during its ratings height. Wrestlers Meng (Haku) and Wrath (Bryan Clark) made guest appearances as burly menaces in two separate episodes of the show.

Noting Rob Van Dam's unique martial arts inspired ring style, the potential for another MK homage makes sense. Of course, given the independent success of the ECW Television Champion at the time, it's also undeniable that turning it down was the right decision to make. RVD returned to WWE at the July 14 PPV Money in the Bank. The former WWE Champion has been on a six year hiatus, last appearing at that level in 2007.

That's so funny because I was just thinking about Glacier when I was watching that nWo DVD just an hour ago lol. I always picked him in those N64 games. I thought he was awesome but I really didn't watch WCW back then.

Brock Lesnar would be a good defender of Earthrealm, except he'd probably turn on the humans to join Outworld... Ultimate Warrior? The Undertaker? Kane? I'd put the fate of the world in the hands of Kurt Angle, any day. He'd suplex us to safety.

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Mick-Lucifer Wrote:Brock Lesnar would be a good defender of Earthrealm, except he'd probably turn on the humans to join Outworld... Ultimate Warrior? The Undertaker? Kane? I'd put the fate of the world in the hands of Kurt Angle, any day. He'd suplex us to safety.

Angle has Shao Kahn in the Angle Lock! BA GAWH KING KAHN IS TAPPING OUT! ANGLE HAS DONE IT! HE HAS SAVED EARTHREALM! lmao

Mick-Lucifer Wrote:Brock Lesnar would be a good defender of Earthrealm, except he'd probably turn on the humans to join Outworld... Ultimate Warrior? The Undertaker? Kane? I'd put the fate of the world in the hands of Kurt Angle, any day. He'd suplex us to safety.

Angle has Shao Kahn in the Angle Lock! BA GAWH KING KAHN IS TAPPING OUT! ANGLE HAS DONE IT! HE HAS SAVED EARTHREALM! lmao

Then has a cup of Milk. at the end of his ending the narrator would say,
"It's True, It's DAMN TRUE!"

LordSkarlet Wrote:Angle has Shao Kahn in the Angle Lock! BA GAWH KING KAHN IS TAPPING OUT! ANGLE HAS DONE IT! HE HAS SAVED EARTHREALM! lmao

Heroic Brutality!

MK Online Forums: Share your interests, broaden your horizons and support the kommunity with discussion forums for every topic. "Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country."